A More Beautiful Day
by ry123red
Summary: CHALEK version of season finale. What if Chloe hadn't gone with Brian to visit his grandmother? Instead she chooses to follow her "instincts" and lets him go. What would this mean for Alek? Would he finally get a shot at showing the Uniter how he really feels? With this one decision, could the deaths of those she cares about be avoided? The happy ending that they deserved.
1. The Rejection

A/N: Well this is just a silly little story I've decided to write to help alleviate the anger I feel after watching that crappy finale. The point of a season-finale is to answer questions, not create even more! Okay, on with the story! It's basically a Chloe/Alek version of the season finale. Also, Chloe choses to use her brain or her "instincts" and NOT go with Brian to visit his grandmother. Happy Reading!

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Chloe sighed in boredom, collecting the scattered piles of clothes and carrying them out of the dressing room. As she began to re-hang the various overpriced items she held back an exhausted yawn. She had been up until two the previous night training with Jasmine and Alek. Since her mother was human and completely unaware of the whole _Chloe is Mai and has claws_ situation they had to wait until she was asleep to sneak Chloe out of the house. Normal teenagers snuck out to go to parties…she snuck out to race across rooftops and spar with her two Mai protectors. And to think, she used to believe the biggest problem that came with being sixteen was saving enough money to get a car. Yeah right. Now she had to worry about random men from The Order pushing her off another building. Oh, and the creepy stalker who was apparently taking pictures of her. Not to mention the fact that if she even kissed a guy they would drop dead at her feet. Life at sixteen wasn't exactly what she had been expecting. The night of her birthday she had gone out searching for adventure and excitement, and boy had she found it.

"Chloe, you don't look so good." Her boss commented, giving the wavy-haired blonde a once-over. "You're practically dead on your feet."

"Yeah, sorry. Late night." Chloe explained lamely, trying to avoid lying to Lana. Ever since Chloe had helped her escape from her controlling ex-boyfriend, the two girls had actually become tentative friends. Definitely not as close as she was with Amy or even Jasmine, but it was a better relationship than they had before…which basically had consisted of Lana scolding her for being late…or for texting…or talking with her friends while she was on her shift.

"Well I hate to be the one to tell you this…but I need you to work late tonight." Lana Jacobs admitted, waiting for the inevitable protests from her employee.

"Okay. Let me just let my mom know I'll be home late." Chloe sighed, pulling out her phone and shooting her mom a quick text. Maybe this would get her out of training for a night. Then she could finally get a decent's night sleep.

Shooting the blonde an impressed look, the dark skinned girl grabbed her purse and reminded Chloe to lock up after her shift, then she was gone. Not long after her boss left, a familiar face entered the vintage shop. Immediately, Chloe knew who it was.

"Hey."

"Hi." Chloe replied quietly, her green eyes darting up to meet his blue ones. The last time she had seen Brian she had been yelling at him to leave. Truth be told, she felt slightly guilty for yelling at the guy. He was going through all sorts of family issues and she was the only person he felt that he could trust. If only he knew how many secrets she was hiding from him. But, he had completely overreacted when he punched Alek. He smiled weakly at her, seeming encouraged by her response.

"I just wanted to apologize." He started, "I was completely out of line the other day. It's just…I thought he was hurting you. And-And it was _him."_

The young Mai stared at the brunette, biting her bottom lip anxiously. She knew deep inside that she and Brian could never be as close as he wanted. She was surprised that he even still wanted to be her friend after everything she had put him through. She figured he thought she had been leading him on, but truthfully she hadn't meant to. For some reason she had found herself unable to let go of Brian. Maybe it was because he made her feel more normal. More human. Maybe the reason she was so reluctant to let go of him was because she wasn't quite ready to let go of her humanity. But was that selfish of her? Even though she had told him on multiple occasions that they could only be friends she knew he had hope. Hope that one day he would have a chance. And maybe pretending that was possible for a little while longer wasn't so bad. If she sent him away it would be like accepting the fact that she could never have a regular life. That she was different.

"It's okay." She replied, replacing the clothes on the racks. "As long as it never happens again."

"It's a deal." He said eagerly. "Actually I have other news. I found my grandmother's address on the back of one of her old letters. I'm going to drive up there tomorrow."

Chloe stopped what she was doing and gave him her full attention. She knew how important uncovering this mystery was to him. Heck, he had dropped out of college to learn more about his mother's death. And Chloe wanted to be there for him. She really cared about Brian…probably more than she should. "Are you sure that's a good idea? What if it's dangerous?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine." He re-assured her, smiling at her obvious concern for his well-being. "Of course, you could come along to protect me if you want to."

The blonde felt her chest tighten at his words. She bit her tongue to hold back her first instinct, which was to immediately accept. He was her friend, and she was supposed to do whatever she could to help her friends. But then, would this really be what he needed? Was her inability to let go of this friendship hurting more than it was helping? As she took in the hopeful look on his face she was filled with regret. She should have just walked past him when she saw him the morning after he witnessed her and Alek's kiss on her front porch. She should have let him have breakfast with that other girl and not slipped back into his life. They had the option for a clean break…and she messed it up. If she really cared about Brian, wouldn't she free him of his attachment to her? It was dangerous for anyone to be a friend of The Uniter. Was it fair for her to put him in danger without his knowledge? Then she had her answer.

"Brian I don't think-"

"Oh no, it's okay I get it. You don't have to say it."

"Actually I think I do." She contradicted sadly, her voice firm. "I don't know how to say this, but…I'm not looking for a relationship. I have a lot of stuff going on in my personal life and the last thing I need is to add boy drama to that. So, while I really care about you I think it would be best if we didn't see each other for awhile."

"How long is awhile?" He asked, his face devoid of it's previous cheerfulness.

"For however long it takes for us to be able to just be friends." She replied firmly, feeling her breath catch at the wounded look that spread across his handsome face. She knew this would hurt him, but it still was painful to see how badly her words stung him.

"I'm not sure that's possible. I can never be just friends with you Chloe King, I lo-"

"Just stop, please." She interrupted, colored eyes burning with unshed tears. "I can't do this. I'm sorry."

"Fine. I'll leave." He replied brokenly, his eyes filled with betrayal. "I don't understand you Chloe. When we first met you seemed so interested, then the next day you decide we can only be friends? It's that blonde guy isn't it? You're choosing him."

"What do you want me to say?" She questioned softly. "That I chose him over you? Is that what you want me to say?"

"It would sure make a hell of a lot of sense." He spat angrily before running a hand through his unkempt hair. " You know what, never mind. It doesn't even matter. Goodbye Chloe, I hope he makes you happy."

Cat-like green eyes watched the man leave before tears spilled down pale cheeks. There, it was done. He was free. She ran the back of her hand across her face, chasing away the tears. Then, she felt a lightness in her chest. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt like Atlas did after Hercules relieved him from carrying the weight of the world on his back. She no longer had to worry about the danger she was putting him in. She no longer had to avoid Alek's calls when she was with "her human". Well, he wasn't hers anymore. And she wasn't sure he was ever really "hers". Resolutely, she dialed Jasmine's number. It was time she started taking her duties as The Uniter more seriously.

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A/N: Leave a review and I'll send a preview of the next chapter! Thanks for reading!


	2. The Date

A/N: Here is more CHALEK goodness for all you lovely readers. Thanks to iWant9Lives2Live, SyfyGeek13, yodtukw, mileyforever101, melikeygale, and anonymous reader for reviewing! The fact that people are still reading Chloe King fanfiction should be evidence that they need to renew the show for a second season or a movie or something. Happy Reading!

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Amy and Chloe laughed as they looked over the pictures from the photo booth all three couples had somehow managed to squeeze into. Immediately, Chloe's eyes were drawn to the ones that showed her and Alek. Them smiling brightly side by side, His arm around her shoulders, and him kissing her cheek. At the time it had felt so natural, but as she stared at the pictures the blonde realized that they acted like a couple. Her revelation was interrupted when the brunette next to her spoke. "This is nice. Me and Paul, Jasmine and Zane, you and Alek."

The green-eyes girl raised a curious eyebrow at her friend. "There is no _me and Alek."_

"Not yet." Her friend added knowingly, motioning towards the pictures. "Look me in the eye and tell me that you're not on a date right now."

Chloe sighed, placing the photos on the table where they sat. She honestly wasn't sure what this thing between her and Alek was. They had kissed twice now, and this would definitely be considered a date to most people…but that was just it. They weren't _most people._ Her, Alek, and Jasmine were Mai. With all the changes going on in her life, Chloe wasn't sure what she felt. She was mostly focusing on trying to stay alive, and making contact with her dad of course. He hadn't emailed back in a few days and she was trying not to worry about him. But then again, he never really was consistent with their online conversations…if you could even consider them conversations. It was mostly her asking questions and him avoiding giving the answers.

"Funnel cakes and ferris wheels, do not a relationship make." Chloe replied teasingly, before pausing. "Okay, I like him. A lot. There, I admitted it. Out loud. In public. But I'm not really sure where it's going, so can you just stop pushing about it? Super-sensitive cat-like hearing, remember?" The last thing she wanted was for Alek to hear this extremely private conversation. She didn't want to tell him how she felt until she completely figured it out herself.

Rolling her blue eyes, Amy accepted her friend's request. She knew she probably seemed juvenile, but she just wanted Chloe to be happy. And being with Brian would not make her friend happy, because nothing could come of it. It would only cause heartache. The dark haired girl knew that she had been encouraging Chloe to continue seeing Brian and now suddenly she was Team Alek, but she really did regret advising Chloe to keep Brian in her life. And Alek was so good for Chloe. The sometimes clueless mai may not notice, but Alek really did adore her. As if to prove her point, the blonde boy in question approached Chloe from behind and surprised her with a giant stuffed lion.

"For you." He stated, before continuing conceitedly "Apparently I broke some sort of record or something."

"He's adorable, thanks." Chloe replied, laughing inwardly at the irony of Alek giving her a giant cat stuffed animal.

"Resemble anyone you know?" Alek questioned knowingly, tilting his head and shooting her a side-ways glance. As he stared at the wavy-haired girl next to him he was overcome with awe. She was probably one of the strongest and bravest people he knew. What he admired most about her was her inner fire. When she believed something she stuck to it, no matter who opposed her. She was fiercely loyal to her friends. She would fight for the good of everyone she crossed paths with…which was something that got her into trouble more times than not. The fact that she was drop dead gorgeous was just a bonus.

"Hmm…There is a certain arrogant gleam in his eyes that seems familiar." Chloe said teasingly, her green eyes shooting up to meet his dark brown ones. She was pleased at the small chuckle he released at her playfulness. She liked when he was like this; endearing, funny, and charming. It was the controlling, over-protective Alek that annoyed her a bit.

"And I won this for you." Paul announced, proudly displaying the small frog flashlight to his girlfriend. Amy cooed in appreciation, gushing over the small trinket. She had learned to stop expecting Paul to fulfill the role of prince charming that she had dreamed of when she was a little girl. She was slowly learning to accept him for who he was, and not to try and change him. It made little moments like these all the more special.

"Maybe if you kiss it, it will turn into a prince." Alek suggested with a smirk.

Amy immediately protested, declaring that Paul was her only man and planting a chaste kiss on his cheek, before adding "He's just not that good at ring toss."

The two guys challenged each other to another game, before taking off again; leaving the girls behind. Shaking her head in amusement, Chloe turned just in time to watch Zane give Jasmine a quick kiss before leaving to answer his cell phone. She smiled contentedly, pulling the lion closer to her chest. Maybe being Mai wasn't so bad after all.

Too pre-occupied with her thoughts the newly turned Mai didn't hear the words Zane spoke into the phone, "Don't worry. As soon as Valentina returns…they'll all be dead."

* * *

Meredith King observed the elated smile on her daughter's face as she looked at her phone. To say Meredith was concerned for her daughter was an understatement. It seemed as if chaos decided to pay a visit on Chloe's sixteenth birthday and never left. Not to mention the fact that her daughter seemed a little different. Not necessarily in a bad way, but she had become more outspoken and social. For the longest time Chloe's only friends were Amy and Paul. Now all of the sudden it seemed as if she was with a different group of friends every week.

"Is that Brian?" The single parent asked curiously, unable to keep from being nosy.

Giving her parent an exasperated look she replied, "Not that it's any of your business, but no."

"So it's Alek?" Meredith asked again, ignoring the incredulous look shot her way. "Weren't you on a date with him last night?"

"Seriously mom. Don't you have work to do or something?" Chloe said pointedly, glancing at the clock that hung in the kitchen. She would be late herself if she didn't leave now. She had decided to get away from San Franciso for the day. She just needed to escape for a few measly hours to clear her head. She was sure some of Valentina's Mai minions would follow her anyways. There were other Mai that helped serve as her feline-esque body guards…but Jasmine and Alek were the only ones who spoke to her. Which, she was quite okay with. When those two troublesome Mai came all the way from Spain to attempt to kidnap her she learned that not all Mai were trustworthy.

"Not now, but I'll be out at a business meeting this evening. So you'll have to fend for yourself!" Meredith called as Chloe darted upstairs to her room.

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Jasmine entered the house, out of breath from her run with Zane. She wasn't normally one to open up to easily to people, but there was something about Zane that intrigued her. He was interesting, mysterious, and really knew how to keep a girl guessing. She let the curly-haired Mai in, shutting the door behind them. The smile faded from her face when she caught sight of her angry mother standing in the living room with Alek.

"Hi, I'm Zane." He introduced himself, offering a hand for the stern woman to shake. When the elder woman made no move to accept the greeting, he let his arm drop back to his side. "Well, I'm going to head out. Talk to you later Jasmine."

After the boy left, Valentina stared at her daughter in disappointment. "So I see you've been busy. Not protecting The Uniter like I asked you though."

"So what I can't have fun? I always listen to you and obey without question. But, now I need to have my own life." Jasmine argued, crossing her arms defiantly.

"We will talk about this later." She replied before changing the subject, "Where is Chloe now?"

"She should still be at home." Jasmine stated, her expression confused. "She would have told us if she was leaving the city."

The women's eyes turned to Alek. "I texted her this morning, but she didn't answer."

"Find her now." Valentina ordered before leaving the room angrily.

With a sigh Jasmine moved and sat in the seat next to Alek before muttering sarcastically, "Missed you too."

The blonde looked at his friend with a smirk, "Well on the bright side, I think she really liked him."

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A/N: Hope this chapter was up to par. Thanks for reading! If you post a review I'll send you an excerpt from the next chapter!


	3. The Solitude

A/N: Thanks to iWant9Lives2Live, SyfyGeek13, Yudith88, and anonymous reader for reviewing! I'm trying to make the chapters longer from now on, so we'll see how that works out. Happy Reading! Also, if you want a preview of the next chapter just leave a review! Make sure to sign in and have private messaging enabled so that I can send you the excerpt.

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Chloe wrapped the white and navy striped scarf tighter around her neck as the wind attempted to steal it from her. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket. _Geez, she hadn't expected it to be this windy._ She had hopped into the car that all the late hours working at the vintage store had bought her, and drove until she felt like stopping. Her impromptu journey had brought her here, to the Point Bonita Lighthouse. It was just a little ways northwest of her house, and she found herself filled with excitement at being somewhere new. There was something freeing in accomplishing things in solitude. As she walked across the suspension bridge it swayed with every gust of wind and every step she took. Unable to resist, the daring blonde glanced down at the water below and felt goosebumps appear on her skin. She wasn't sure if it was the cat-like instincts she had, but the sight of the churning waves made her nervous. She reached into her purse to check her phone, but realized that she had left it at her house. _Damn, Alek and Jasmine are probably going crazy right now since I left. I seriously hope Valentina's still out of town…she's even more strict than my mom._

Chloe contemplated turning around and returning home where everyone could reach her. It would be the more responsible thing to do. But she quickly discarded the thought. She had come here to escape all the drama. All she wanted was one day alone with her thoughts. She needed to figure out what to do about all her new abilities, what to do about the situation with her father, how to handle the job of being The Uniter, and how to handle her quickly deepening feelings for Alek. Surprisingly, it was the last thing that scared her the most. She had never been in a relationship with someone before. Her kiss with Paul ten years ago so did _not _count, no matter how much he argued that it did. Alek made her nervous. Whenever she as around him she felt almost unsure of herself. She _wanted_ him to like her. Granted, he made his attraction to her pretty clear when he kissed her on her porch…and on her rooftop. But she wasn't sure how deep his feelings were. Did he want a relationship? She found that notion hardly believable. He seemed more of the _love 'em and leave 'em _type. Not exactly the sort of guy who would pursue a real relationship. And if she would agree to go out with him, it would be all or nothing. She wasn't the type to mess around or play games.

As Chloe admired the jagged cliffs and picturesque landscape she felt renewed. All her stress melted away under the heat of the California sun. Then the cold air blew her golden hair behind her, sending it flowing back over her shoulders and effectively re-freezing her neck. With a muttered curse, she continued across the bridge towards the brightly lit lighthouse. She could check her phone when she returned home. She doubted anyone realized she was gone anyways.

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Alek stormed into the coffee shop that Chloe and her human friend's usually met up. Chloe wasn't answering his calls or texts, and he found himself worrying about her. He couldn't fathom why she wouldn't answer him…unless she was with Brian. That thought brought Alek to an abrupt stop in the entrance to the building. He had advised Chloe to stop seeing her human, but she really wasn't one to heed other peoples advice. And if he was honest with himself, he more _demanded _that she end her relationship with Brian. If anything, his outright disapproval probably would make her want to see the human more, just to spite him. He wished that was the only reason the blonde continued to see Brian. But, as much as Alek despised it, he knew that she felt something for the other guy. Even if it killed him inside to acknowledge this.

As the hurried Mai surveyed the coffee shop for a head of wavy blonde hair, he caught sight of her two friends at a back table. Immediately, he stalked towards them and interrupted their conversation, "Where's Chloe?"

Amy responded sarcastically, "Well it's nice to see you Amy. You too Paul, I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Look I don't have time for this." Alek said in exasperation, "I need to find Chloe. She's not answering her phone, and no one's heard from her."

Amy took in the serious expression on the blonde's face. "I asked her to meet us, but she said she had some errands to run…but maybe- I mean...never mind"

Alek narrowed his eyes at the brunette. _Was she hiding something? _ "What do you know?"

"It's just…I know she mentioned that Brian was having family troubles and asked for her help today." The blue-eyed girl explained apologetically, wincing at the stunned expression that overcame the British Mai's face. "But I'm sure she wouldn't have gone."

"I should have guessed." Alek said quietly, his eyes alight with betrayal and hurt. "If you hear from her tell her to call Jasmine. It's important." Then he was gone.

Paul and Amy exchanged worried looks. Despite imperfect first impressions, the arrogant blonde had grown on them. Once you got over his super-sized ego he wasn't that bad. Amy's initial attraction for Alek had morphed into a tentative respect. He had a hard, self-absorbed exterior, but when he was interacting with Chloe she could see another side of him. A softer, kinder side. He obviously harbored strong feelings for her childhood friend that he desperately wanted her to return. Paul had began to form an almost friendship with the guy. Even though they were wildly different, they were able to get along. He had, unknowingly, become a part of their little group. Even if he wouldn't admit it.

Alek walked outside, anger flowing through his veins like fire. He wasn't used to girls rejecting him. But this was more than that. He wasn't upset because his pride was hurt, it was because his feelings were. He and Chloe were recently spending more time together, and he had hoped this would bring them closer. Hoped that their friendship and student/teacher relationship would grow into an _actual _relationship. After their first kiss on her front porch he had thought she would see that it was him she should be with. But of course her human showed up at the most inopportune time, officially destroying any chance for that moment to be special. _At least I can kiss her without dying._ He thought smugly, lips upturned in pleasure. Even if she didn't want to be with him, she still couldn't be with Brian. He felt the unfamiliar pangs of guilt at his selfish thoughts. He really did want Chloe to be happy, with to without him. But he wouldn't give up without a fight. He would stay by her side until she told him to leave. Until that day came, he would be fighting for her no matter the cost.

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Hearing a knock at the door, Valentina went to answer it. She pulled the wooden for open only to see her daughter's friend, Zane, standing on the other side. She stared at him, baffled. _What was he doing here so late? Wasn't he supposed to be meeting Jasmine for dinner? _As the Mai leader of San Francisco, she was naturally cautious of everyone she met. That's why she was suspicious when she first saw him in her home after she returned. But when she saw Jasmine's face after she treated him rather poorly…she felt that maybe she was being too harsh. After all, he was just a teenage boy. And she could tell her daughter liked him enough. Maybe she should give him the benefit of the doubt and trust Jasmine's judgement. She may expect a lot out of her, but it was only out of love. She truly wanted her daughter to be the best that she could possibly be, even if she resented her mother for it. Jasmine was destined for a difficult future. She would take her place one day and she needed to be ready.

"Oh, hi. Is Jasmine here?" Zane asked, his voice nervous.

"I thought you were meeting Jasmine out for dinner?"

"Yeah, she texted and asked to meet here instead."

"Well she's not back yet." The dark haired woman replied immediately, her voice sounding harsh even to her own ears. She sighed to herself. _Don't scare off another of another one! I have a feeling she won't be as forgiving this time. _"But you can come in and wait for her."

The curly-haired Mai nodded in thanks, and entered the loft behind her. With her back turned to him, Valentina missed the triumphant smirk that overcame his face as he shut the door; sealing her fate.

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A/N: The lighthouse in the story is actually a real place…and a dream of mine. I've always wanted to tour a light house…yeah I'm kinda random. Thanks for reading! Review if you want an excerpt of the next chapter! In case you didn't notice I cut all the Brian scenes out of the story because well…that would just be a waste of chapters. And i figured everyone reading this would have already watched the finale so ya'll understand whats happening anyways. :)


	4. The Realization

A/N: The updates might not come as quickly as before unfortunately. I just started my freshman year of college so I'm super busy, overwhelmed, nervous, and every other emotion possible. So I appreciate yall's patience. Happy Reading! Post a review if you want an excerpt of the next chapter!

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Jasmine sat at the table in the coffee house, disappointed and a little pissed off. Zane had asked her to meet him, and he was half an hour late. She wouldn't have minded as much if he would have let her know that he was running late. But he wasn't answering his phone. And her text inbox remained annoyingly empty. She glanced at her cellphone to check the time. 7:05. He was _over _half an hour late. She sighed and looked around the place in boredom. _Where was he? Was he in some sort of trouble?_ The dark haired girl found herself worried for the boy who had quickly piqued her interest. She hadn't had a boyfriend in a long time due to her Mai duties and her dictator of a mother. Honestly, Valentina expected her to give up having a life just because she needed to protect the Uniter. Jasmine didn't resent Chloe though, it wasn't her fault she turned out to be the super-important Mai. And she did want to help her fellow Mai and guard Chloe, but not a the expense of her own life. She didn't want to give up everything like her mother expected her to. She had taken a freaking dagger to the back to protect the Uniter, shouldn't that show some dedication? But no, she brings Zane back to her house one time and her mother completely freaks.

The thought of Zane sent a thrill of anger through her. _Why hadn't he called to say he'd be late? _She picked up her phone and sent him a text, asking if he was on his way, and leaned back in her chair. She would wait thirty more minutes. If he still didn't show up she would just go back home. Dejectedly, she watched another couple across the room staring arguing heatedly and disturbing the ambiance of the coffee house…at least they were having a worse time than her.

* * *

Chloe entered her house, feeling rejuvenated and content. If she had known a little trip away from home would help her so much she would have gone a lot sooner! With a careless laugh she plopped down onto the sofa in her living room. Things _almost _felt normal today. It reminded her of her pre-Uniter days, when she could just have fun and not have to think about duty, training, and evil people trying to kill her. But, she knew that pretty soon Valentina would send Alek or Jasmine banging on her front door, demanding a reason for her departure. But, she was okay with that. She knew she probably should have told someone where she went, but she just wanted a day to herself. One day. She didn't think she was asking for too much…

The blonde's phone chimed from her bag and she scooped it out, eagerly opening her email page. She had a reply from her dad. As she read the words on the tiny screen she would hardly believe it. He was here. In San Francisco. Her mouth parted in surprise and she nearly dropped the phone out of her hand. He wanted to meet her tonight.

"Chloe, I'm leaving now!" Her mom called as she walked down the stairs in heels and a black dress. "I should be back by eleven. Is Amy coming over?"

Chloe shook her head. "Nope. It's just me."

"Are you going out with Brian tonight then?" Meredith questioned, saddened at the thought of her daughter sitting around the house alone. She was worried she might be upset because of all the issues with her absent father.

"No mom." Chloe sighed, "I don't want to talk about it." Her impromptu trip today had allowed her to gain some clarity. What she had felt for Brian hadn't been love. Sure, she liked him. He was attractive, nice, and easy to talk to. But the reason she had clung to fiercely to him was that he reminded her of being human. He reminded her that before all this Mai business she was just a girl who wanted to have fun. Instead, she had gotten powers, danger, and late-night training sessions with Alek. But…the last one she didn't mind so much. The human Chloe would not have even been remotely interested in Alek. He was arrogant, cocky, and sarcastic. But the new Chloe didn't mind his flaws. She had gotten accustomed to him and found herself discovering another side of him she hadn't known he possessed. The British Mai could also be very protective. She had realized this when he tried to save her from the group of Jackals that she had foolishly and naively trusted. He was trustworthy, which he proved when he didn't give Valentina the location of the Jackal's hide out. Jasmine had told her that Alek had refused to send the Mai leader the location, and the knowledge had left Chloe shocked. She hadn't known why he would do that for her; risk his own life to honor a promise he had made to her.

"But I thought you liked him?" Her mother prodded, confused as to why Chloe would change her mind so capriciously.

The young Mai remained silent, unsure on how to answer the question.

"Well, it is obvious that he likes you. So if you still like him you should try _actually going on a date with him."_

"Don't you have an investor to meet?" Chloe asked pointedly, wanting the conversation to end.

"The investor can wait. I know that dating is confusing, especially when two boys like you. But you have to be honest, kiddo. Especially with yourself." Meredith advised, watching the conflicted look overcome her daughters face.

"I don't know what I feel." The blonde murmured, her voice soft.

The brunette gave her daughter a knowing glance as she replied, "I think you know exactly how you feel." Chloe's lips parted in surprise. Her mom thought she was in love with Brian, but she couldn't be farther from the truth. There was someone else that had crept into her heart without her noticing. Someone unexpected.

"I'm not in love with Brian, but I think I might like someone else." She admitted, her blue eyes bright with emotion. It seemed that while she was preoccupied with all the changes in her life, she had unknowingly let Alek in. Usually, she was pretty guarded with guys like him. He was popular, cocky, and obviously attracted a lot of attention from girls with that freaking british accent. But for some reason she grown close to him. She _trusted _him, and even cared about him. "Aren't you going to be late to the meeting?"

"Oh no sweetie I can cancel it."

"No, It's okay. I know this is important for your job. You should go, me and my heart will be fine."

"You're amazingly resilient." Her mom said admiringly, immensely proud of her daughter. "Okay, I'll be home later tonight. There are leftovers in the fridge."

Chloe watched her mom leave and remained seated after the front door clicked shut. Her colored eyes filled with tears as a smile overcame her features._ She had feelings for Alek. _The relief that filled her at the realization made her feel lighter. Then, fear overcame her. Alek wasn't the type to have a girlfriend. Sure he dated girls, but as far as she knew he had never had a steady relationship. That thought frightened her. Chloe knew that if she gave Alek a chance she would only grow to like him more, and if he didn't want to be with her…she would be crushed. Resolutely, the blonde Mai decided to keep her romantic feelings a secret. If Alek ever found out he would probably go running the other direction. She knew he was attracted to her, he had made _that _obvious, but she wasn't sure he wanted to be with her. And what she wanted more than anything was for him to want her for _her. _Chloe wanted to be sure he liked her for other reasons, not just the physical.

With that decided, Chloe trudged upstairs to her room; planning to check her email again before going to meet her father. As she opened the door to her bedroom, her eyes were drawn to a pair of warm brown ones across the room. She froze in the doorway, jaw dropping in surprise. "Alek." _How long had he been in her room? _

"How long have you been here?" She asked finally, barely able to keep a calm exterior.

"Awhile." He answered simply, enjoying her frustration at his vague answer.

"And why exactly are you in my room?" She questioned accusingly, raising an eyebrow at him. She sincerely hoped he had not heard what she revealed to her mom.

His trademark smirk overcame his face. "It probably has something to do with the fact that you disappeared all day."

"Sorry for wanting one _entire_ day without someone following me around." Chloe replied sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest. The truth was she kind of liked the banter between her and Alek…as much as she was ashamed to admit it. And if it distracted from the fact that she basically admitted to liking him five minutes earlier, then that was great too.

"Apology accepted." He said, ignoring her sarcasm. "So…I hear you're finally over your human."

Repressing the urge to groan in annoyance, the girl rolled her blue eyes. "I should have known you were eavesdropping."

"It's not my fault I have super-sensitive hearing." He defended light-heartedly, getting amusement out of her discomfort. "Now, you didn't answer my question."

Shooting him a glare, Chloe bit back a growl. "I don't have to answer it since you clearly already heard the answer when you listened in on a private conversation."

He glanced at her from under his hair and took a step closer. Reflexively, she took one back, putting distance between them. A predatory gleam shone in his dark eyes, and he approached her again. Narrowing her eyes in response, Chloe took another backwards step. She felt her back come in contact with the closed door behind her. _Shit._

Alek leaned forward so that there was barely two inches of space between them. He loomed over her, and it was then that she realized how freaking tall he was.

"Alek." Chloe stated warningly, a slight tremble in her voice.

He leaned forward even closer until she could feel his warm exhale against her neck. "Who's the guy?"

"W-what?" She asked, pretending no to understand his question.

"Who's the guy you like?"

"I don't know wh-"

"Chloe."

She sighed in defeat and let her forehead come to rest on his shoulder. "It's you. I want you okay? Happy now?"

"Immensely." And then there was a hand under her chin, lifting her face to his. Blue eyes met brown, and she could see the passion and satisfaction in his. The look of longing and insecurity that he normally wore had been replaced by happiness and triumph. Then their lips met. Chloe moved into the kiss, pressing closer to the tall boy in front of her. The same boy who had somehow found his way into her heart. His hands moved from where they had rested on the door, one cradling her face as the other curved around her hip. Finally, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. Chloe exhaled deeply, her eyes remaining closed.

For the first time in a long while…she felt safe.

* * *

A/N: Review if you want a preview of the next chapter!


	5. The Distraction

A/N: Finally, I found time to bring another chapter to you guys. There's only one more chapter after this! Hope you enjoy it! Drop a review if you want an epilogue and let me know what you would want to read in it. Also, I realized that for some reason I wrote that Chloe's eyes were blue in the last chapter…not quite sure why I did that. Haha. So just ignore it. Sorry about that. Happy Reading

* * *

"I should go." Alek stated reluctantly, moving towards the open window.

"You do know there's a front door." Chloe commented wryly, green eyes filled with amusement.

"The last thing I want to do is run into your mother. She can be quite intimidating sometimes."

Rolling her eyes, Chloe smiled to herself as Alek slipped out her bedroom window. He glanced back as he left, sending a warm thrill through her. Only after she was sure he was gone did she allow the joyous laugh that was building inside escape her lips.

Chloe flopped down on the bed, landing on her back. Things were suddenly looking up. Her future didn't seem so lost now, because she knew no matter what that Alek would be there. He always was.

In that moment Chloe realized just how much she had begun to depend on Alek being there for her. Even through the while Brian debacle, he had waited for her. The knowledge that someone wanted her that much gave the blonde an unfamiliar feeling of giddiness that she hadn't experienced before. Just the thought of seeing Alek later made an embarrassingly dorky smile threaten to appear on her face.

Her phone chimed from her pocket, drawing Chloe out of her thoughts. As her green eyes read the message, she froze in surprise.

_Meet me at Hannah's last stop. Here now._

_-Dad_

Jumping into action, Chloe grabbed a dark colored jacket from her closet and slipped her arms through it. Heart racing in nervous excitement, she grabbed her phone and hurried down the stairs. As she locked the front door to the house she received an incoming call. After she fumbled to pull the phone from her pocket, her hands shook as she read the caller id. Oh. It was Brian. She bit her lip and slowly replaced the cellphone in her back pocket. It was for the best. Surprisingly, she had no desire to answer his call. In fact, she kind of hoped he would get the hint and move on.

Shoving all thoughts of Brian away, Chloe continued her trek down the street towards the last stop in the beloved book she adored as a child. She was finally going to be face to face with her father.

Watching the blonde glance at her phone and ignore the call, Brian shook his head in confusion. Despite the fact that Chloe wanted there to be distance between them, he just had to see her. Earlier Brian had gone to visit his grandmother, and things had gone tremendously well. With no one else to turn to, he had hopped in his car and driven to Chloe's house. He thought she would be happy for him. Apparently, he would never find out since she would not even take his phone call.

As she walked down the dimly lit street, he felt confusion and curiosity come over him. Where was she going this late anyways? The English guy whom she hung out with flashed through Brian's head, and he grit his teeth in anger. What did she see in him anyways? What did that prick have to offer that he didn't? She didn't even want to be friends anymore. What the hell was up with that?

Taking a deep breath, Brian started up his car and made a sudden decision. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

"Hey mom, you home?" Jasmine called, entering the loft.

With a sigh, she placed her purse on the table and turned around. Why were all the lights off? Her mom would usually wait up for her as part of the _Control every part of your daughter's life_ plan. All traces of sarcasm disappeared when she saw her mom sitting silently in a chair, back facing her.

"Mom?"

Jasmine approached the chair and touched her mother's shoulder, only to gape in shock as the elder woman fell lifelessly onto the floor.

"Mom!" She cried in surprise and worry, not noticing the figure approaching her from behind.

As she knelt down to check for a pulse, Jasmine felt a stinging in her neck.

Hissing in pain, she reached a hand up and felt a dart embedded deep in her skin. Before she could face her assailant, Jasmine felt her body go numb. The brunette collapsed onto the floor next to her mother, unable to move. A pair of shoes entered her line of sight, and the attacked dragged her body to the sofa and set her on it in a seated position.

Jasmine felt rage and betrayal flood through her when she saw the face of the person who did this. Zane.

* * *

Chloe stopped by the fountain right outside the Halliday Theater. She remembered throwing coins into the fountain with her dad as a young girl, back before he left. Looking back, she realized that her life used to be so simple. It was crazy really, how much things have changed. And how much she has changed.

"Chloe!"

The blonde turned in surprise at hearing her name. "Brian? What are you doing here?" She managed to question after she got over the shock of seeing him.

"I met my grandmother today." He stated, ignoring her question. "I just…I wanted to tell you about it. I had no one else to turn to."

Chloe felt her words choke up in her throat. Poor Brian. He was just another casualty in the battlefield that came with being a Mai. She should have cut him out of her life a long time ago, for his own good. "Now isn't really a good time."

"Well, when is Chloe?" He demanded. "I don't understand you. One minute you seem to like me, then the next you say we can't see each other anymore? What game are you playing?"

"I'm not playing games." She countered, crossing her arms. "I just…It's not safe around me, okay?"

"Is it that blonde guy? Because you know I'll-"

"No, it's not Alek." She denied, shaking her head. "I'm not who you think I am. And I really can't say anymore, okay? Now, you need to go."

"What? No, I-"

"Brian." She interrupted impatiently, flashing her claws out. "I can handle myself."

Stumbling back in undisguised surprise and confusion, Brian stared at the girl in front of him; suspicion was written all over his face. "W-What are you?"

"That's not important. But you need to go, this doesn't concern you."

Seeming to finally heed her warning, the brunette took a few steps back towards the way he came.

Not waiting to see if he would listen, Chloe turned and ran to the building behind her. She pushed easily through the doors, containing her surprise at the doors being unlocked. Despite his promise, a part of her had doubted he would be here. Her father had been absent her whole life, why should she count on him now? But, she desperately wanted answers. And she wanted to be able to trust him.

Stepping into the spacious theater entrance, she glanced around her surroundings. There were huge white pillars lining the entrance area. A beautiful crystal chandelier hung from the dome-shaped ceiling. Failing to see any sign of her father, the blonde felt her heart drop.

What if something had happened to him?

Hearing noises from the second floor, Chloe began walking upstairs. "Dad?"

Following the sound, she ran into a circular room on the second story. Catching sight of a figure standing on the opposite side of the room, she paused. "Dad?"

He actually showed up! He wanted to see her. Now all the questions she had would be answered. He could help her learn more about her past and maybe even-

"I believe you have me mistaken for someone else." The voice answered, stepping into the dim moonlight that came in through a small window. Suddenly, four other people stepped out from the shadows, outnumbering her.

"If you hurt my dad-"

"I haven't seen him." The man interrupted. "Our only job is to take care of you."

"Well, in a few minutes you're going to wish you were in a different line of work." Chloe commented, slipping into a defensive stance and waiting for her opponents to make the first move. They didn't disappoint.

* * *

Alek entered Jasmine's loft and immediately sensed something was not right. The lights inside were all turned off, and everything was eerily quiet. Upon walking into the living room, the blonde Mai tensed at the sight that greeted him. Jasmine and Valentina were sitting unnaturally still and in complete silence.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Alek paused and quickly dodged the paralyzing dart as it whizzed past him. Not giving his opponent time to fire again, he quickly darted forward and knocked the gun out of the other person's hand. Delivering a kick to the black-clad assailant's chest, Alek sent the other man stumbling back.

Quick to retaliate, the intruder swung his fist and landed a blow to Alek's face. As Alek fell from the hit, his opponent scrambled for the dart gun. Acting fast, Alek jumped back up and crushed the man's hand under hit foot and kicked the gun to the opposite side of the room. Howling in pain, he struggled to get up, but found himself pinned flat on his back with a set of sharp claws at his throat.

"Why are you here?" Alek growled lowly, his eyes alight with fury.

The other man remained silent.

Sharp points pierced skin and caused the intruder to flinch in pain. "I'll ask again. Why are you here?"

Digging his claws in deeper, Alek watched in satisfaction as small streams of blood rolled down the other man's neck.

"Okay, okay." He finally gasped, unable to handle the pain.

Gaining a sense of familiarity at the voice, Alek gripped the black mask and ripped it away from his enemy's face. The blonde was startled at the face that stared back at him.

"Zane."

The man in question smirked and sarcastically replied, "Great deductive skills, detective."

"You sick bastard." Alek growled angrily, unable to resist the urge to punch Zane in the face.

Grimacing in pain, Zane could feel his head ringing from the hit he took to the head. "It was nothing personal. Only following orders."

"Orders? To do what exactly?"

"Provide a distraction." Zane answered simply, waiting for the other Mai to realize what was happening.

"Distraction?" Alek echoed in confusion. "Why would-" He broke off mid-sentence as comprehension flickered across his features. "Oh god, no."

Zane watched in sick fascination as Alek understood his role in everything.

Brown eyes alight with pain, Alek felt a cold chill of fear overcome him. "Chloe."

* * *

A/N: Should this be the end of Brian's part in this story? Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading.


	6. The Fight

A/N: Here's the final chapter! Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited! I hope you enjoyed the story and that it did the TV show justice. Happy Reading! There will be a short epilogue after this, so keep checking back!

* * *

Alek arrived at Chloe's house and busted through the front door, breaking it clean off its hinges.

"Chloe?!" He called urgently, darting up the stairs.

Upon finding her room vacant, he growled in frustration and searched through her desk for any clue as to her whereabouts. If something happened to her…it would be his fault. He could lie to himself and claim it was only his job to protect her, but there would be no point. He knew that he cared for her. It wasn't a sense of responsibility that had him tearing apart her room. It was a feeling deep inside of him that had developed without his consent. He didn't protect her because he was ordered to…he did it because he _needed _to.

Knowing that she was in danger now sent a flood of anger and desperation through him. He had to find her.

In the hopes of finding one of her friends, Alek went to the coffeehouse that was next door to where Chloe worked.

To his disappointment, he didn't see wither of her friends there. As he turned to leave, his dark eyes landed on someone who might be of help. Resolutely, he stalked to the other side of the shop and slammed his hands down on the table the person occupied.

Brian's head shot up at the sound and he stared at Alek in undisguised shock. Automatically, Brian scooted back in his chair, leaning away from the other boy who stood across the table from him.

"Where is she?" Alek asked between gritted teeth, his search for Chloe taking precedence over his dislike of Brian.

"You too? I should have known." Brian muttered, taking in Alek's wild look, "You're not human."

Surprise flashed across the Mai's face before he reined it in. "We don't have time for this. Chloe is in danger, do you know where she is?"

"What are you?" Brian demanded, ignoring his question.

"Someone you should fear." Alek growled, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I should have known you wouldn't be any help."

As Alex reached the doorway, Brian stood up from his chair. "She's at the Halliday Theatre."

Alek paused his exit, then darted out into the night, leaving Brian standing alone in the brightly lit shop.

* * *

Chloe leapt in the air, delivering a swift kick to her opponent's chest and sending him crashing into a stone pillar. Stepping over the unconscious body of one of the other men she incapacitated, Chloe locked her feline eyes on the final man standing; he was the leader of the group that ambushed her here.

The blonde feinted to the left, and landed a devastating punch to the man's face. Reeling back from the blow, he returned the hit, knocking Chloe back a few steps. Before she could regain her senses, Chloe found herself tackled to the ground. Her head hit the ground with a sickeningly loud sound, leaving her dazed.

The man grabbed her arms in an attempt to pin her down. Somehow, Chloe was able to bring her knees up and knock him off of her. Standing unsteadily to her feet, she grabbed her opponent by his shirt and slammed him against one of the pillars in the room. He struggled to escape, prompting Chloe to allow her claws to dig into the skin of his arms painfully.

Flinching in pain, he leaned his head back before slamming it into Chloe's face sharply. With a hiss of pain, Chloe released him and growled lowly fury. Determined, she directed a powerful roundhouse kick to his chest, sending the man flying across the room.

When there was no movement from where he landed, Chloe sighed in relief. Bringing a hand to the tender spot on the back of her head, she found her golden hair matted with blood. Wiping the hand covered in blood off on her jeans, she walked down the steps, discouraged.

Her father wasn't here. Surely if he was, he wouldn't stand by while he daughter was engaged in a fight. Was this whole thing a trap? Or was her father simply unable to make it? Chloe wasn't sure which possibility was worse: her father being captured, or him not caring enough to show up.

The sound of footsteps brought the young Mai out of her thoughts. Her eyes caught sight of an older woman dressed in an impeccable white suit. The woman's eyes seemed cold and almost detached as they appraised the disheveled state Chloe was in.

"Hello Chloe."

"Who are you?" Chloe finally asked, unsheathing her claws cautiously. She got a bad feeling from this woman.

"We should discuss that the next time we see each other." The woman answered as she reached behind her, "Assuming you come back to life."

A series of loud noises rang out, echoing in the spacious room.

Chloe felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, and looked down in shock at the red color that was slowly spreading across her shirt. She had been shot.

Then she was on the floor, sprawled out across the steps. Inhaling shakily, Chloe saw the woman lower the gun to her side, smiling in satisfaction. Closing her eyes in agony, the blonde felt her body go numb.

Then there was darkness.

* * *

Alek approached the enormous building, a sense of dread building with every step he took. It was late now, and the moon was the only source of light; fortunately, this was not a hindrance for his advanced eyesight. As he entered the theatre, the silence that filled the room was stifling. Immediately, a familiar smell assaulted his senses and startled him: blood.

He turned and felt his heart stop at the sight that greeted him. A girl with familiar curly golden hair was lying on the staircase with a stranger kneeling next to her.

"Chloe." He gasped chokingly, rushing to her side. Disregarding the other person, he checked for a pulse, and felt his eyes burn with unshed tears as he found one.

"I heard gunshots and came running inside." The white-clad woman explained hurriedly, "We have to call an ambulance!"

Alek paused, his eyes intense as he continued to watch Chloe for signs of consciousness. "This theatre is sound proof."

"What?"

Alek didn't move as he repeated, "This theatre is soundproof. You couldn't have heard the gunshots from outside."

The short-haired woman froze, her expression grave. "Well, it's a pity you had to know that." Then she moved to reach into her jacket pocket.

Jumping into action, Alek tackled the woman, and sent them falling down the remainder of the stairs. He darted into the shadows of the dark building, waiting for a chance to catch her off guard. The woman moved into the center of the circular room, calmly looking around for any glimpse of the Mai.

"You can't hide forever." She said confidently, gun loaded and ready to fire.

Silence.

"Well, if you won't come out, then I'll just shoot her." The woman threatened aiming the weapon at Chloe.

Cursing under his breath, Alek stepped into a stream of moonlight that was flowing in from one of the few windows. "Don't touch her."

"My, my. Strong words from someone who has a gun pointed at them." She mocked coldly, turning to face him.

Alek returned her words with a heated glare, his fists clenched in anger.

"Unfortunately for you, gunshots are a little more deadly. You only have one life, and it's about to end." The woman said apathetically, raising the gun to his chest.

"Not quite." A voice replied darkly, before knocking the weapon from the woman's hand. Chloe grabbed the woman's arm and twisted, causing a sickening snap that prompted the woman to yelp in pain.

"Thanks for jumping in there." Alek commented wryly, trying to hide the fact that his heart was nearly beating out of his chest.

"Hey, I've got a few lives to spare." She replied with a smirk, before turning to face the woman who was on the ground.

After Alek made sure the woman was unconscious with a punch to the face, he turned back to face the other Mai. Unable to help himself, Alek pulled Chloe into a crushing embrace. As her hands rested tentatively on his back, Alek wound one hand in her long hair, while the other curved around her waist.

"I was so worried." He murmured, his warm breath raising goosebumps on her neck. "God, I thought you were gone."

Chloe tightened her arms around him, and allowed her head to rest on his chest. "It's okay. I'm here."

Suddenly he pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. "Do you know what would happen to me if you were gone?" He demanded fiercely. "Do you have any idea at all of what you mean to me?"

Chloe felt her throat close up, preventing her from speaking. When words failed her, the blonde stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

Pulling back from the light kiss, Alek shook his head in exasperation. "You don't have to thank me."

"Yes I do! You saved my life Alek." She replied softly, eyes shining with tears of gratitude and affection.

"Don't you get it?" He questioned lowly, brushing her hair from her face. "You're the one who saved me."

Then, lightly brushing his lips to her forehead, he took her hand in his larger one. "Come on. We have to get her out of here before she wakes up."

Nodding in agreement, Chloe felt a brief smile lighten her face. She had just been shot, her father never showed up, and Brian probably had blabbed to the whole city about her secret…but she was happy. Glancing at the man next to her, she figured it probably had something to do with his presence.

No, she knew it had _everything _to do with him. Now she just had to spend the rest of her life, or lives, proving it to him.

* * *

A/N: THE END! It was really a fluffy ending, I just couldn't help myself!

The epilogue will show Valentina and Jasmine waking up, what happened to Zane, and Chloe's reaction to Alek breaking the door to her house down. Lol. And of course, it will have Chloe FINALLY telling Alek she loves him. Haha. Thanks for reading!


	7. The Flip Side

A/N: Here's the epilogue! I'm actually sad to see this story come to an end. Happy Reading :)

If anyone has any suggestions for a **sequel**, that would be great. I was thinking of having more Mai show up to help interrogate Simone. Which of course will cause more drama. Lol. Let me know what you guys think!

I would hate to end this story with so many unanswered questions, since that's what annoyed me about the season finale of he show. It was like, _oh look Brian's grandmother is evil. Oh btw so is Zane. And Brian is possibly dead. Also, Valentina and Jasmine might be as well. SURPRISE! The end._ Seriously. So frustrating. Sorry for the rant. Lol.

* * *

Chloe and Alek pulled up to the former's house in contemplative silence. They had brought the woman in white to Valentina to be interrogated. Valentina was going to call on some other Mai leaders nearby in aid in the interrogation. Chloe agreed wholeheartedly with this decision, knowing it was time that the Mai began to present a more united front against The Order. Luckily, Valentina had let Chloe go home to rest, with Alek escorting her of course. After the disaster that occurred just a mere hour ago, he was reluctant to leave her side.

"What happened to the front door?!" Chloe sputtered out in disbelief, eyeing the way it unsteadily hung off its hinges.

"About that…" Alek trailed off, shrugging innocently.

Chloe's eyes moved back and forth from the broken door to Alek almost comically. "When I told you to use the door instead of the window, I didn't mean for you to break it down." She quipped cheekily, raising an eyebrow at the other Mai.

Rolling his brown eyes, Alek followed Chloe into her house. "Women…can't ever make up their minds."

Mock glaring at him, Chloe stuck her tongue out immaturely before pulling two sodas out of the refrigerator. Catching the can that was tossed at him, Alek sat on one of the barstools in the kitchen. He watched the blonde collapse onto the chair next to him in exhaustion, running a hand through her hair haphazardly. He closed his eyes regretfully, before turning his gaze to the floor as he spoke, "Are you okay?"

"Physically or emotionally?" Chloe replied wryly.

"I'm sorry about your dad."

Chloe froze, her emerald eyes snapping up to meet his. "How did you-"

"I did some reading while I was looking for you." He answered honestly, nodding his head towards the stairs that led to her room.

He had found the small book when he was searching through her desk for a clue as to where she was. He had disregarded the picture-filled children's book then, not realizing the answer he was looking for was right in front of him. He had to find out from Brian where she was. Speaking of the human…how in the hell did he figure out that they were Mai? Honestly, Alek didn't really care. He could see the fear in the other man's eyes when he showed up, and knew Brian would keep his mouth shut.

Chloe nodded in acceptance, lapsing into a brief silence before answering, "I've waited for him for so long. I would sit by the phone on every birthday until I was twelve, hoping to pick it up and hear his voice on the other side. But now I realize that isn't going to happen. I…I don't think he was ever going to show up tonight."

Alek listened to her, feeling a wave of empathy and understanding roll over him. Comfortingly, he placed his hand over where hers rested on the counter.

Staring at the place where their hands met, Chloe was filled with gratitude. Alek was never one to shy away from his feelings, and that was something she admired about him. He didn't overanalyze before acting, he just followed his heart blindly. Chloe wished she wasn't so reserved and cut off when it came to her emotions. She was so used to disappointment; the possibility that there was something good in her life was unfathomable. They were like opposite sides of the same coin, so different, yet two parts of a whole.

"I wish I was better at this." Chloe stated suddenly, her eyes on their clasped hands.

Observing where her gaze was, he squeezed her small hand in his. "I've waited a long time for you Chloe King. I can wait a little longer."

"But you shouldn't have to ." The blonde muttered, embarrassed with herself. God, she had no experience when it came to dating. Throw in the fact that they were supernatural creatures and it was worse than reality TV.

"Hey, look at me." Alek said firmly, waiting for her to meet his eyes. "I don't care. You're all that I want, okay? I'm pretty clueless when it comes to relationships as well. So, we can fumble through this together, yeah?"

Noticing his accent became more prominent when he was flustered, Chloe felt a grin grow on her face. "Yeah." She echoed, bringing their interlocked hands to her lips.

"Chloe?" A voice called from the entrance, effectively shattering the touching moment.

"Shit." Chloe whispered, before standing and darting into the other room. "Mom, about the door…I can explain."

"Are you okay? What happened?" Her mother questioned worriedly, running her eyes over her daughter to make sure she was unharmed.

Alek stepped out from the kitchen, and came to stand next to Chloe. "Meredith, lovely to see you again."

Seeing the stunned look on her mother's face, Chloe groaned inwardly. Here we go.

"Alek. What are you doing here so late?"

"Mom." Chloe interrupted, before Alek could come up with a believable lie. "I need to talk to you about something important."

"Does it have to do with the reason the door is currently about to fall off the wall?"

"Among other things." Chloe answered vaguely, before glancing at the blonde standing next to her pointedly.

"Well I guess that's my cue to take off." Alek said, moving for the doorway. "I'll stop by tomorrow then?"

Chloe nodded, hesitating before pressing a brief kiss to his cheek, "Thanks, again. For you know, saving my life and all."

"Need to take better care of the remaining ones. Guess that means I'll just have to stick around here more often." He said with a smirk, pleased to see Chloe's face flush a light pink in embarassment. He sent her a wink, before bidding Meredith goodnight and leaving.

"What was that all about?" Her mother asked curiously, noticing the pleased glint in her daughter's eyes.

"It's a long story." Chloe replied softly, watching her mother warily.

"I'll make coffee."

* * *

"Has he talked yet?" Jasmine demanded as Valentina shut the door behind her.

"No. He refuses to talk to anyone but Alek." The older woman answered, locking the door behind her.

After Alek had won the fight with Zane, he had shot him with his own dart gun. Knowing that the paralytic drug would wear off Valentina and Jasmine sooner, he had tied Zane up and quickly left to go to Chloe's aid. Now, Zane was locked up in a secure room where he could be questioned. The only problem was that he wouldn't speak until Alek arrived.

Jasmine knit her brows in confusion. Why would he want to talk to Alek? The two of them barely spoke before when he was pretending to like her. Still feeling the sting of his betrayal, Jasmine glared at the door that hid him from her view. If he didn't talk soon…she would find a way to make him.

Alek walked through the doorway, a small smile on his face. Seeing the knowing look on his friends face, Alek shoved her shoulder lightly, a low growl building in his chest.

"He will only speak to you." Valentina said, addressing the blonde Mai.

Alek nodded, his expression grim as he entered the room that Zane was held in. Shutting the door behind him, Alek stared at the brunette, whose eyes were emotionless.

"You had better start talking if you know what's good for you." Alek threatened, angered by Zane's apathy.

"Now, is that any way to talk to your brother?" He taunted, enjoying the look of surprise that overcame Alek's face.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You don't remember me? I'm hurt, brother." Zane replied sarcastically, grimacing as the restraints dug into his wrists.

"Why should I believe you?" Alek demanded, before extinguishing his anger. "Anyways, it doesn't matter. Either way you're going to talk or bleed. It's up to you."

Observing the other Mai's careless expression, Zane narrowed his eyes in disappointment. Why wasn't he reacting? Zane had been anticipating the secret to confuse Alek and give himself leverage, but he didn't even care. Cursing inwardly that his plan had failed, Zane remained quiet.

He wondered how Simone had faired with the other part of the plan: ending the Uniter.

* * *

"You told your mom yesterday?" Amy repeated in shock, "How did she take it?"

"Oh you know, she yelled at me for a bit, then almost fainted when I showed her my claws." Chloe answered sheepishly.

"You showed her claw? Do you want her to lock you up in the crazy house?"

"Hey, I'm just glad she didn't try and take me to a hospital to have them removed." Chloe replied jokingly.

"Or to a veterinarians office." Paul inserted, laughing at Chloe's outraged expression. "But I'm glad you're okay."

Softening, the Mai pulled her friends into a hug. They truly were the best friends a girl…or Mai could ask for. After spending almost the whole night explaining everything to her mom, Chloe had managed to get a few hours of sleep before Amy called wanting to meet at the coffeehouse. Looking at her friends, Chloe was filled with gratitude that they hadn't abandoned her upon learning that she wasn't human. In fact, they had been there for her every step of the way, even putting their own lives in danger for her.

"I don't know what I would do without you guys." Chloe admitted, tightening her arms around her friends.

"Even though we're just boring humans?" Amy questioned, only half joking.

"Because you're human. You guys have been the only constants in my life. I don't think I would still be me without you both."

"Okay, enough with the feelings. Tell me again about how it felt to be shot." Paul interrupted, earning laughs from the girls standing on either side of him.

Yeah, I really love these guys. Chloe thought, rolling her eyes.

* * *

Chloe sat on the rooftop, watching the changing colors in the sky as the sun disappeared behind the city skyline. Lost in thought, she failed to notice her visitor, until they took a seat next to her. Finally, Chloe broke the quiet. "Are you okay?"

"No, not really." Jasmine answered honestly, "I can't believe I fell for it. I feel so pathetic. The first sign of a guy liking me, and I turn completely defenseless."

"We all fell for Zane's act. You shouldn't beat yourself up about this." Chloe consoled her friend.

"If Alek hadn't shown up when he did…my mother and I would be dead." Jasmine continued, ignoring her friends' reply.

"I guess Alek was the hero yesterday." Chloe admitted, biting her bottom lip unconsciously.

"Alek wanted to stop by, but Valentina needed his help. He wanted me to tell you he'll come by later." Observing her friend's reaction, Jasmine felt a knowing smile grow on her face. "So I guess not everyone is doing horrible in the romance department."

Chloe stared wide-eyed at her friend, before sputtering out feeble denials and excuses.

Rolling her eyes, Jasmine was quick to reassure the blonde, "Chill out Chloe. I'm just glad that you finally realized what was so glaringly obvious to the rest of us."

"And what was that exactly?" Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Jasmine stood up, a grin on her face. "That you love him of course."

Before Chloe could come up with a reply Jasmine jumped off the roof to patrol the neighborhood, leaving a shell-shocked Mai behind her.

As her friend left, Chloe remained frozen in place, lost in thought. Did she love Alek? She knew she liked him…a lot. They seemed to balance each other out quite well. He was more responsible, while she could be whimsical and impulsive at times. While Alek wore all his emotions on display, Chloe tended to bury them so that even she was unsure as to what she was feeling. But, both of them put others before themselves; on multiple occasions each had sacrificed to help others. Both Mai were fiercely loyal, maybe to a fault. All the things that put them at odds when they first met, were now what held them together. She even found his slight arrogance adorable and endearing! What was happening?!

Just a year ago, the sight of Alek in the hallway incited a feeling of irritation in her. Sure, she had always thought he was hot,- she wasn't blind- but he always seemed so full of himself. She had thought he was the typical popular jock. But, she had been so wrong. After getting to know him she found there was more to him that an attractive accent and warm brown eyes. He was deep, and caring. He watched out for her, and was always there to back her up. No matter how many mistakes she made, he was always there for her.

And Chloe found that she wanted to be there for him too. She wanted to be the one he turned to for help. She wanted to be the one he looked to for advice and friendship. But above all, Chloe just wanted to be as important to him, as he was to her. Did that mean she loved him? Hell, Chloe wasn't even sure she knew what love was. Sure, she loved her mom, Amy, and Paul; but, this felt different somehow. It felt more complicated and painful than any gunshot ever could be. All she knew was that this was the closest to love she had ever felt. And she was scared. She had loved her dad, and he was gone. What would make this time any different?

Chloe took a deep, shuddering breath. No, this was different. Alek had shown her time and time again that he cared about her. He had tackled a woman with a gun, for crying out loud! And here she was, questioning his feelings? If anyone was unclear and secretive it was herself. It was then that Chloe decided that she would show Alek how much he meant to her. How much she needed and wanted him.

* * *

When Alek finally showed up a few hours later, he was pleasantly surprised at the greeting he received. Upon finding Chloe's window unlocked, he slipped inside her room, only to be tackled by the blonde.

With a grunt of surprise, he caught her in his arms, eyes widening in shock at finding her lips pressed urgently against his. Immediately, he tightened his arms around her, pulling Chloe flush against him. With a pleased sigh, her hands slid into his hair, as she deepened the kiss. Finally, he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers, gratified to find that he wasn't the only one breathing heavily.

"What was that for?" He asked, eyes almost black with desire.

Chloe smiled and opened her eyes, emerald meeting dark brown. "I love you."

Alek remained motionless, dark eyes intense with emotion. Then he was pulling her to him again, kissing her almost hungrily. With a gasp, Chloe responded, hands fisted in the material of his shirt. With shaking hands, he brushed her wavy hair back. So soft that she almost missed it, Chloe heard his murmured reply, "God, I love you too Chloe."

And for the first time in her life, Chloe felt complete. For years she had lived not realizing there was a gaping hole in her life, until she met him: her other half. The flip side of the coin. Two different parts of one whole.

* * *

the end.


End file.
